We
are going to reflect on Isaiah's
chapter 53, which became the foundation for the worst face of
anti-Semitism and judeophobia that ever existed in
history. Other western religions
have used their own interpretations of this chapter to condone,
justify and promote the persecution and extermination of the Jewish
people. Such interpretations are
wrongly based on the complexities of Isaiah's phrasing of his words
in this particular chapter. Fortunately,
the Prophet already have given us previous clear contextual
references that lead us to understand his words according to the
traditional Jewish interpretation.
Isaiah
presents his words interchanging Israel as a single person and as a
people, juxtaposing his own words with God's words, and the
interaction of Israel as a people with Israel as an individual.
Israel as the ideal primordial Jew in contrast to Israel as the
secular people far from emulating the ideal primordial Jew. With this
clarifying preamble we begin to reflect on the verses of this
chapter.
“Who
has given credence to that which we heard? And the arm of the Lord on
whom has it been revealed? Yea, he comes up as a tender plant before
Him, and as a root out of a dry land. He has no form nor honor when
we observe him, nor appearance when we desire him.” (Isaiah
53:1-2)
The
Prophet speaks to the nations, questioning their credence to what the
people of Israel have heard from the Creator. Have the nations really
believed the teachings of the Torah
that Israel understood from God? Do they believe in the God of Israel
that have revealed His words, and in Israel as the arm to which He
gave His revelation? Isaiah compares Israel to a sprout rooted
in a dry land.
The
metaphor tells us that the shoot represents life in the harshness of
a dry land as the dead field from which it is destined to sprout and
fructify. Goodness destined to prevail amid the barrenness of evil.
The goodness of Love's ways and attributes over the futility of ego's
fantasies and illusions. There is nothing that can shape the Jewish
identity except the Torah.
Israel
doesn't need to have a particular form of reference outside of the
Torah, or a special honor in his appearance to be perceived by
the nations. The external appearance of the Jewish people is the same
as the rest of humans. Israel does not boast for having exterior
form, sign or honor.
“He
is despised, and left of men. A man of pains, and acquainted with
sickness. And as one hiding the face from us, he is despised and we
esteemed him not. Surely our sicknesses he has borne, and our pains
he has carried them. And we, we have esteemed him plagued, smitten of
God and afflicted.” (53:3-4)
Israel
became the despised and outcast by the mission God gave
them as His chosen people to build a place for Him to dwell in the
world. This treatment by the nations have caused Israel pain and
suffering throughout history. There has not been sincere appreciation
or esteem for the people that have shared their
Godly instruction with humankind. The Prophet joins the nations to
call the ideal preeminence of Israel disesteemed and plagued, as
if smitten and afflicted by God Himself.
“And
he is pierced for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. The
chastisement of our peace is on him, and by his bruise there is
healing to us.” (53:5)
Israel
as the ideal primordial human consciousness to manifest God's will in
the material world is indeed oppressed and harmed by our own
transgressions, including Jews and non-Jews. Our highest level
in consciousness is harmed by our iniquities and negative
trends, for these oppose the goodness our highest awareness yearns
for to fulfill God's will. We must reiterate that all we do
against our goodness affects our peace. There is no peace while we
let iniquities running our consciousness.
Let's
be aware that peace also means wholesomeness, completion, and
totality. A fractured consciousness is the result of our inability to
harmonically integrating all its aspects, dimensions and expressions
as a functional unity whose purpose is to make goodness prevail in
the material world. Our punishment for transgressing against goodness
is on our peace. In this context Israel represents the
encompassing harmonic unity destined to serve God's plan
for this world.
The oppression of
Israel by the nations is also a lesson for them to learn about the
effects of harming goodness. This intricate allegory must
be understood not as implying that harming one person heals the
offender, but a positive lesson to learn after we realize the harm
caused to those who have not harmed others. This is not
about atoning for someone by harming oneself. Harming Israel
does not provide atonement for the nations, but the opposite, as it
is written: “I'll bless those who bless you, and I'll
curse the one who curses you, and through you all the people of the
earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3).
“All
of us like sheep have wandered, each to his own way we have turned.
And the Lord has caused to meet on him the punishment of us
all.” (Isaiah 53:6)
Again
the Prophet underlines Israel's responsibility as the Light to the
nations: “And I give you [Israel] for a Covenant of
a people, and a light to the nations.” (42:6), “And
I have given you for a light to the nations, to
be My redemption unto the end of the earth.” (49:6). Isaiah
includes himself among the Jews and non-Jews who have strayed from
God's ways, and follow the negative ways of ego's fantasies and
illusions.
As
we already mentioned, our iniquities are carried by our goodness. Our
higher consciousness bears the weight of all our deeds. The
iniquities and transgressions we allow in the world come back to
confront our goodness. In a deeper level, we are responsible of every
belief, idea, thought, feeling, emotion, passion and instinct in our
consciousness. Hence ultimately our goodness is responsible for what
we do.
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